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Stapkevica, M., University of Latvia, Riga (Latvia) | Vincevica-Gaile, Z., University of Latvia, Riga (Latvia) | Klavins, M., University of Latvia, Riga (Latvia)

Plants are components of ecosystem that transfer elements from abiotic to biotic environments. Several elements, such as As, Cd, Hg, Pb, can be considered as food chain contaminants. Simultaneously, some essential micronutrients (e.g., Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn) at high concentrations may become toxic to both, plants and animals. To secure the aim to describe the uptake of metals by food crop species such vegetables, as radish Raphanus sativus L., leafy lettuce Lactuca sativa L. and dill Anethum graveolens L., were grown in soils of various grading composition and type. There were five soil types selected. A part of soils was contaminated with copper sulphate solution at different target concentrations, while another part was contaminated with mixture of metal (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn) compounds. In half of treated soil samples the solution of humic substances was added. Harvested vegetables were dried, and after wet digestion with nitric acid quantitative analysis of metal concentrations was performed by use of atomic absorption spectrometry. The highest concentration of copper was detected in vegetable samples grown in soils with less organics, thereby indicating the importance of soil organic matter to metal transfer routes and accumulation rates in plants. Analysis of lettuce grown in soils contaminated with the mixture of metal compounds revealed that zinc was a metal absorbed more intensively, but metal uptake and accumulation was less intensive from peat if compared with other soils.

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